Automatic phonograph



war mm INVENTOR.

Jan. 26, 1943. F. D. LEWIS AUTDMATIC PHONOGRAPH Filed Sept. 20, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 26, 1943. F. o. LEWIS AUTOMATIC ruorioeana Filed Sept. 20, 1939 eats-Sheet 2 Jan. 26, 1943. F. D. LEWIS AUTOMATIC PHONQGRAPH Eil ed Sept. 20, 1959 s Sheets-Sheet? INVE OR.

Jan. 26, 1943. F, LEWIS 2,309,197

AUTOMATIC PHONOGRAPH Filed Sept. 20, 1939 5 sn ets-sheet 4 Jan. 26. 1943. F. D. LEWIS AUTOMATIC PHONOGRAPH Filed Sept. 20, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Jan. 26, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE aurom'rfic i zi rrnocnsrn I Frank D. Lewis, West Orange, N. J.

Application September 20, 1939, SerlalNo. 295,813

2 Claims.

This invention relates to phonographs, and

more particularly to an automatic phonograph in which a plurality of different diameter records are placed in a magazine and are fed to the turntable to be played one at a time.

Another object of my invention is to provide a phonograph that is always ready to play single records without a previous manual setting to cut out mechanism used for automatic operation.

Another object of my invention is to use the records themselves for setting the machine to perform many operations heretofore performed manually.

Another object of my invention is to provide a suitable automatic phonograph for home use that can be manufactured at low cost.

Referring to the accompanylngdrawings:

Fig. l is a plan view showing the parts in starting position on a small record.

Fig. 2' is a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 showing the driving and only continuously rotating members.

Fig. 3 isa section on line H of Fig. 1 showing the construction of the record supporting membars that forms a magazine.

Fig. 4 is a view, partly in section, taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 5 showing the driving and driven mechanism.

Fig. 5 is an elevation, partly in section, of one end of the phonograph.

g. 6 is a section on line 66 of Fig. 5 show- I ing principal parts for elevating and guiding the tone arm.

Figs. '7 and 8 show a portion of the mechanism in operating positions.

Fig. 9 is an elevation showing particularly the arrangement of the records in the magazine.

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the-record support for controlling the position of the tone arm at the start of playing in its neutral position and for playingrecords of small diameter.

Fig. 11 is the same as the above except in position to locate tone arm at the start of playing a larger record.

Fig. 12 is an end elevation, partly in section, of Figs. 10 and 11.

nism.

Fig. 14 is a similar, view on line l4-l4 of Fig.

pigs. 18 and 19 show details of trip mechanism.

Fig. 13 is a detail showing the clutch mecha-- gages the pin II.

' Projecting downwardly from the cam disc l4:

a turntable 4. Also secured to the shaft .is a

sprocket 5 that drives a chain 6 that engages a sprocket l. g

Secured to the hub of sprocket I is a pinion 8 engaged with a gear 9, all of which run continuously with the motor.

I will endeavour to simplify the description,

eliminating the clutch now, as this part can be eliminated if desired.

' Rotating with gear ,9 is a pinion III that drives a gear II that rotates continuously when said gear and pinion are locked together. 'The gear II has a stud l2 secured thereto that is journaled in the bas plate I. Movable about the stud I2 is a. supporting plate ii that carries all the driving mechanism which comprises a. cam disc l4 having a shaft secured thereto and journaled in said plate. This cam disc l4 rotates after the completion of one record and before the start of another and is stationary during the playing of a record. Forming part of the cam disc l4 at its periphery is a cam 31 that engages a roller 38 journaled in a reciprocating member 39 that has a horizontal track 4!! secured thereto. Also secured to and projecting upwardly from the disc is a projection-Ill that engages an arm 55 that is secured to a shaft 48 that is rotatably mounted in a top plate 41. Pivotally mounted on the cam disc i4 is a member 52 having a projection 5| that engages an arm 49 also secured to the shaft 46. Secured to the lower end of the member 52 is a slotted arm 53 that engages a pin 53' secured to the supportingbase plate l3.

Pivotally mounted on a stud I! under the cam disc 14 is a connecting rod l5, the forward end of which has an arm 2| hinged theretofby a stud 22 and normally held apart by a spring 23. The

rear (end of the rod ii isprovided with roller 18 that engages a hat yielding spring li'that holds the rod in its normal position as shown in Fig. 4. Opposite the spring I! is a similar yielding spring I! that engages the roller l8 when the rod 15 is travelling with the gear I l and enis a stud "that engages a yoke 21 of a movable rack 28 as shown in Fig. 1 that meshes with pinion 29 secured to uprights 30 and 3| which form part of a magazine. The uprights are pro- 'vided with projections 32-33 for supporting a stack of records 35 and with separators 68 that separates and supports the stack from the record that is being discharged. These uprights are rotatable about studs 30' and 3| secured 'in the base plate I as shown in Fig. 3.

Depending from the top plate 4] is a plate 41 on which is located a tripping mechanism which is shown in Figs. 4, 5, 18 and 19 which comprises an arm 59 pivoted about a stud 58. The arm 59 has a slot 58' permitting free movement about the stud 58. Projecting at an angle from the rear of the arm 59 and pivoted thereto is a yielding arm 59' that normally is held under tension in the position shown in Figs. 4 and 18. The end of the arm 59 is serrated and engages with a serrated locking member 63 secured to the plate 41'. Pivoted on the arm 59 is a pawl 51 that engages a ratchet segment 55 on the periphery of the arm 55. A spring 62 fastened at .one end to the arm 59 and at the other end to the plate 41 tends to give a radial and longitudinal pull on the arm holding it in engagement with member 63 and throwing it outward when it is freed therefrom. Also on the arm 59 is a projection 84 for engaging a trip arm 65 the operation of which will be described later.

Secured to the upper end of the shaft 46 is a tonearm 42' having the usual magnetic unit therein for transmitting sound recordings to an amplifier in which is secured a needle 44 that engages the record; on the turntable. To permit vertical movement to the tone arm a horizontal pin 45 is provided. An adjustable support 42', forming part of the tone arm 42, engages the horizontal track 40 only when the arm is being brought into playing position. I also provide gauging the position of the arm relative to the ing the base plate I3 having the driving mechanism thereon between adjusting screws I3 and I4 in the projections 13' and I4 ,on the base I about the axis of the tone arm 42,by means of a movable carriage 11 located below the base I. The carriage IT has a fork 11' that fits snugly about a hub IE on the base'plate I3, a yoke hav-' ing prongs 80 and 8I that surrounds .a collar having adjustable projections 83 and 84 the former to engage M .to move the carriage outward and into locked position and the latterto engage 80 to move the carriage inward, depending upon the direction of rotation of 'a shaft 85 journaled in the base plate I. The carriage TI is supported in the base I by screws I9 passing through slots I8 in said carriage as shown in V Fig. 4. Secured to the upper end of the shaft 85 is a knob 81 shown in Figs. 10 and 11 that will be engaged on either side, when the magazine is rotated by a roller 99 on an arm 95 secured to a member '94 that is journaled in the projection 33 of the uprlght,3l. Projecting upward from the member '94 is a pin 95 connected to' a slotted sliding member 90 that is guided about a hub 92 on the separator 68 and between the sup- 'port 33 and separator 68 and held under tension provided to eliminate the operation of the record discharge mechanism and permit the manual operation of the phonograph. Gear 9 rotates on the hollow stationary stud I04. This gear 9 has one or more apertures 9' opposite a pin IOI secured to a disc I 02 that forms a part of ver-. tically movable rod I04 joumaled in the stud I04. The pin MI is held in position but is freely movable with the disc I02 in the pinion I that.

drives the gear II. To operate this clutch a control arm I05 movable in a bearing I06 secured to the base I is normally held in the position shown in Fig. 1 that is, in the path of any records stacked on the supports 32 and 33 of the magazine by means of a spring I32 fastened at one end to an arm I01 asshown in Figs. 13 and 25 that is secured to the control arm and. at the 1 other end to the base I. The control arm I05 is connected to the clutch by a connecting rod I08 between the arm I01 and a bell crank I03 secured to a jack shaft I movable in a bearing. I3I depending from the base I, one end of the bell crank engaging the rod I04 that is provided with p a spring I33 for keeping it in contact with said bell crank. t c

When one or more records are placed on the record supports 32 and 33 of the magazine, the

- control arm' I05 contacting the edge of said records is forced outwards as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. This will relieve the pressure on the clutch mechanism member I02 permitting the pin IOI to engage the gear 9 until the last record is discharged from the magazine and the tone arm is returned to its playing position on this record. To prevent declutching between the discharge of the last record and the plac ing of the tone arm on the same, I provide an two cup shaped notches 40' on the track 40 for arm II2 shown in Fig. 14 and partly in Figs. 13 and 15 which is pivoted on a stud H3 in hearing II 4 forming a part of base I. At one end it engages the disc I02 and at the other it has a roiler'I I5 engaging the rack 28 which becomes a cam at I I6. When a record is being discharged the rack moves in the direction of the arrow and back as shown in Fig. 15, raising the roller to the dotted position shown in the same figure spindle 3 and placing one record on the turnwhen moving forwai'd and in the full line position shown in Fig.- 14 when it retums. Although this arm H2 is moved into engagement with the clutch disc I 02 upon the discharge of each record due to the movement of the rack 28 it functions only when the control arm I05 swings inward to its normal position after the last record has been discharged from the magazine and the tone arm 42 is returning to the starting position on said record. Without the above provision the actuating mechanism would stop when the control arm I05 swings in and the tone arm would not be carried to the starting position of the last record. The phonograph is operated by removing the table 4, replacing the, spindle and stacking a pinrality of records of the samediameter, large or small, or a mixture'of large and small diameter records in any sequence, on the supports 32 and 33 of the magazine. The tone arm 42 with a needle 44 is placed in; the first groove of the record and the motorstarted by the switch IIl.

. When the records are being stacked on the magaby a spring 88 in the path of a large diameter zine it will be obviousthat the edge or the records coming in contact with the control arm I 05 will cause said am to move outward as shown in dotted lines in Fig.1. This willmove the arm I03 to the dotted position shown in Fig. 13 permitting the clutch pin IM to engage in the aper- 2I that engages the pin IS on the rotating gear I II. After the arm 2I engages the pin I6, the cam disc is rotated forward, the cam 31 engagmg the roller 38 raising the track 45 that will contact the adjusting member 42' of the tone arm 42 raising the tone arm vertically from the record groove. After the tone arm 42 has been raised, the projection 10 engages the forward part of the arm 55 moving the tone arm clear of the record about to be discharged from the of the yoke 21'. The slide will rotate the arm 98 through the pin 35 on the member 94 to the position shown in Fig. 11, tlie roller 93 on said arm will engage the knob 81 and as the support 33 continues to rotate the knob and its shaft 85 will turn the projection 83 into engagement with the prong 80 moving the carriage 'II outward carrying with it thesupporting plate I3 and the center of cam disc I4 to one side of the axis of the tone arm.

In the above referred to outward position the cam disc I4 with its projection I0 will move the tone arm to its extreme outward position clear of the following record. A

The return stroke of the rod I5 is shown in Fig. 8, the'pin I8 passing over the center of the gear II now pushing said rod,'relieving the pressure on arm 2| permitting'its release from the pin, the cam disc I4 moving backward. The projection 5I on the rotatable member 52', en-

rotating the shaft 85 in the opposite direction to the above in discharging a larger diameter record. The cam projection 84 engaging the prong 8| moves the carriage inward with the base plate I3 and the center of the cam I4 to the other side of the axis of the tone arm. The

outward movement of the tone arm at the needle end will be less the difference in radius of the two' records, in this casethe iirst record discharged was twelve .inches in diameter and the second record ten inches in diameter,.therefore the amount will be one inch. The return move- 4 ment and actions of an parts will be the same l for both records.

When it is desired to use the machine for playing one record at a tlme,'the spindle 3' is removed and a record is placed on the turntable and the tone arm is operated manually, that is, put on the record and removed therefrom by hand, as all moving parts will be out of engagement from the continuously rotating turntable except the'gearing between said spindle and the clutch in gear I0.

It is possible to repeat single records by performing the above manual operations and by returning the control arm vI05 to the position indicated by A in Fig. 1, where it can be locked by a pin 0- on the knob I09 engaging a notch I I I in the bearing I08. The locking of the control arm I05 inthe above position will be equivalent to holding the arm outward by the records in the magazne as described above.

In'the machine shown, provision is made for automatically stopping the motor after playing a single record as shown in Fig. 16 in which case motor, the current flowing through the closed gaging the arm 49 as shown in Fig. 21,- will move the tone arm to a position just above the first groove of the record now on the turntable, see

Fig. 22. The arm 53 guided about the pin 53' having turned the projection 5| away from the arm 49 leaves the needles 44 of the tone arm in a position just above the first groove of the record, the

roller 38 reaching the incline of the cam 31' gradually lowers the arm and the needle to said groove. The arm 53 having been moved around the pin 53' thus turned the member 52' with the projection 5| beyond the'arm 49 as shown in Fig. 23, While the tone arm 42 was moving outward the separators 88 moved between the record about to be discharged and remainder of the stack 35, supporting them until the supports 32 and 33 return to their normal position. .After the return to the-normal position'of the magazine, the slide member 00 will always return to the position shown in Fig. 10 regardless of the size of the record discharged.. However, the knob 81 will remain in the position it was moved'to and stay there until a record ofanother diame: ter than the previous one is discharged. When a small diameter record is discharged, the edge of this record will not reach the slide member 90, therefore the arm 88 will not be moved and it'will travel in a path indicated by the arrow in Fig. 10, the roller 99 engaging the knob. 81

circuit of flexible contacts H8 and 8 will be broken when the tone arm reaches the eccentric groove in the record that actuates the pawl 51, not shown in this figure, on the arm 59, that has a projection I20 engaging one of said contacts.

To keep the motor circuit closed when playing automatically a plurality of records a lever I2I is secured to the lower end of the arm I05, pressing contacts I23 and I22 together as I and closed the circuitthrough the contacts II8 and H9 by the arm 59 returning to its normal 1 position.

The motor will be run continuously when the arm I05 is in its locked, or "repeat". position, as

the lever I2I will keep contacts I23 and I22 closed. 7

Having fully described my invention, what I now claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In an automatic phonograph, the combination of a rotating turntable with a record thereon, means for continuously "rotating said turntable and record, a swinging tone arm for playing said record, and a magazine for supporting a plurality of records above the turntable, an

actuating mechanism for moving the tone arm away from and to the record and operating the when all the records have'been discharged from the magazine permitting the tone armto return to its playing position on the last record.

2. In an automatic phonograph a continuously magazine, means for connecting the continuously 10 rotating turntable with the actuating mechanism when one or more records are supported on the magazine comprising a clutch mechanismcontrolled by an arm that is moved into operation by one or more records in the magazine and out of operation when the last record is discharged from said magazine, permittingthe tone arm to return to'its starting position on the last record.

mm D. LEWIS. 

